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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Deadline May 28<sup>th</sup>! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>From John Halverson.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hi Friends and Colleagues,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you are planning to vote in the June 8 Primary election, we encourage you to try to use the accessible remote ballot marking tool provided by the Virginia Board of Elections and your local registrar. Some may choose to vote in person but the remote ballot marking tool is a good option as long as you have a computer with a printer. Please note, the deadlines for requesting the absentee ballot are coming up on May 28 and it really takes some direct outreach by you to contact your registrar and request access to the remote ballot marking tool.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Essentially, there are 4 steps:<o:p></o:p></p><ol style='margin-top:0in' start=1 type=A><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Request an Absentee Ballot online and mark the checkbox that you require voter assistance. In the November 2020 election, this checkbox stated you are blind, disabled, or unable to read/write.<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Reach out to your registrar to request access to the remote ballot marking tool from My Ballot<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Mark your ballot on the My Ballot Solution and print it out<o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Follow the instructions to put your printed ballot in the envelopes mailed to you by your registrar , sign and put your name and address on the inner envelope and put that envelope in the “outer” envelope which you will place in the mail.<o:p></o:p></li></ol><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>A note before I begin. The information I provide is accurate to the best of my ability. I am not an official election information source so I cannot guarantee perfect information. However I have used or tested the links below and they appear to be accurate.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Step A: Request an Absentee Ballot<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I find several ways to reach the form for requesting an accessible absentee ballot. You can start at the website for your local registrar or go through the citizens election portal. Note that reaching the form through the elections portal requires clicking on about five links. It is not clear which bring you to the form without trial and error. Note that the portal will give you a lot of additional election information.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Here is a link that brings you directly to the absentee ballot request form. I strongly suggest you use this link. I used it and it works.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>All of the several means of reaching the form end up at the same place so why not go there directly. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvote.elections.virginia.gov%2Fvoterinformation%2Flookup%2Fabsentee&data=04%7C01%7C%7C76b872d098924de3143508d91e245f6c%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637573963824183520%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=GtBEsyJmlmQyljYXO8iYCo%2FPly4gMqOTYjNWwzKzVgs%3D&reserved=0">https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/voterinformation/lookup/absentee</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>There is a simple registration form on that page.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>You need to fill-out: first name, last name, date of birth using the format mmddyyyy, last four digits of your social security number, locality and a certification that the information is correct and there is no fraud. Then you click on submit.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The next page gives you information regarding your voter status and a link to obtain a mail absentee ballot.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Click or enter on that link and more questions appear. The first question asks for your Virginia driver’s license or identification number. You must have one of these numbers to request an absentee mail ballot. Again you are asked for your date of birth and your Social Security number. You must agree that your driver’s license or identification signature should be used for your mail ballot request. You need to verify that you are a United States citizen, a resident of Virginia and your active duty status if your overseas. In order to receive your accessible ballot indicate you need voter assistance. The final questions involve where your ballot should be sent. Note that I may have left out some questions, but they are straightforward and accessible.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you do not have a state ID contact your local registrar.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Many of us receive an odd notice on our state identification cards that we are unable to sign our names. However, I believe that our Id card signatures still work for requesting an absentee ballot. Mine worked. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The final day to request an accessible mail absentee ballot is 5:00 PM May 28. However, I suggest requesting your ballot immediately!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Step B: Reach Out to Your Registrar<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The default action for most voters is the state board of elections sends the local registrar the request and the local registrar quickly sends you a print ballot. However, the print ballot and it’s associated simple envelopes aren’t the actual materials you need for the remote ballot marking process. If you act quickly to contact your registrar, you can request access to the remote ballot marking tool and the special envelopes with tactile markings used with the remote ballot marking tool. In the ideal scenario, the state elections agency should quickly notify your local registrar and they will contact you. I sent my request on a Friday and received an email verification the next Monday.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Note you can cast a secret primary ballot, but you need a computer printer and someone may have to assist you by completing the information on the ballot envelope. We will eventually pursue electronic ballot return in the General Assembly but until then, you must print your ballot, follow the procedures to sign and write your name and address on the envelope, and mail it back to your registrar.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Here is what the state elections board says about accessible ballots.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Accessible Absentee Voting<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you are blind or have low vision or have impaired manual dexterity, you have the option of voting an absentee ballot using an <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>electronic ballot marking<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>tool. If you choose this option for voting absentee, your ballot will be delivered electronically and will include screen reader technology. If you are<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>interested in using this service to vote absentee, mark the section on your absentee ballot application indicating you need assistance voting your ballot.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Your General Registrar's office will contact you with information on how to take advantage of this option. For more information, please contact your General<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Registrar's office. You can find contact information at our <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>online lookup tool. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The link for contacting your local registrar of voters is <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elections.virginia.gov%2Flocalgr&data=04%7C01%7C%7C76b872d098924de3143508d91e245f6c%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637573963824313449%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=W5G55CNS0z6NBOorzFnlhkz%2BT%2B9tk7AJUOgJ1oDducs%3D&reserved=0">www.elections.virginia.gov/localgr</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please note: Do not wait for the registrar to contact you. While the Board of Election states that the registrar will do the outreach to you, no one who used this tool in the November 2020 election ever received a call from their registrar without calling the registrar first. Unless the process improved dramatically, you will need to either email or call your registrar.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Step C: Mark your Ballot and Print It Out<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Your registrar will provide you with the link and the user ID information to access the My Ballot remote ballot marking tool. The tool is quite accessible and easy to use. If you are able to fill out a web form, you will be able to complete the ballot . At the end, you will obtain a PDF of your ballot that you must print out.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Step D: Obtain the envelops from your registrar, put the printed ballot in the inner envelop, put your name, address and sign the inner tactilely marked envelope, and put that in the outer envelop. This envelop should be mailed to your registrar. We believe the local registrar will have already put the address on the outer envelope and it will already have postage.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If I may be of assistance, do not hesitate to call on 703-867-6400 or send me an email on <a href="mailto:jwh100@outlook.com">jwh100@outlook.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>John Halverson, Ph.D<span style='color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>